Preferred Hand Drill Materials of the Loma Mar, CA Area
Great
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Conyza canadensis Horseweed
Acer negundo Box Elder
Aesculus californica CA Buckeye
Baccharis salicifolia Seep Willow
Sambucus mexicana Blue Elderberry
Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood
Typha latifolia Cattail
Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple
Artemisia douglasiana Mugwort
Cirsium vulgare Bull Thistle
Cytisus scoparius Scotch Broom
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir
Scrophularia californica CA Figwort
Sonchus oleraceus Sow ThistleGood
Erigeron sp. Fleabane Daisy
Umbellularia californica CA Bay Laurel
Verbascum thapsus Common Mullein
Helianthus sp. Garden Sunflower
Lonicera hispidula Hairy Honeysuckle
Salix sp. Willow
Solidago spathulata Coast Goldenrod
Cornus sericera American Dogwood
Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry
Silybum marianum Milk Thistle
Vitus californica Wild Grape
Alnus rhombifolia White Alder
Artemisia californica CA SagebrushDifficult
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus CA Lilac
Chlorogalum pomeridianum Soaproot
Dipsacus fullonum Fuller's Teasel
Eriophyllum staechadifolium Seaside Woolly Sunflower
Euonymus occidentalis Western Burning Bush
Holodiscus discolor Ocean Spray
Myrica californica Pac. Wax Myrtle
Rubus discolor Himalayan Blackberry
Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar
Prunus cerasifera Cherry Plum
Rosa gymnocarpa Wood Rose
Escallonia macrantha Escallonia
Mimulus aurantiacus Sticky Monkeyflower
Rhododendron occidentale Western Azalea
Tamarix parviflora Smallflower Tamarisk
Baccharis douglasii Marsh Baccharis
Larix sp. Tamarack
Lithocarpus densiflorus Tan Oak
Madia elegans Tarweed
Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry
Acacia sp. Acacia
Calocedrus decurrens Incense Cedar
Corylus cornuta Hazelnut
Cydonia oblonga Quince
Grindelia stricta Marsh Gum Plant
Phyllostachys sp. Bamboo
Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron
Salix lutea Yellow WillowExtremely Difficult (*embers attained)
Arbutus menziesii* Madrone
Baccharis pilularis* Coyote Brush
Conium maculatum Poison Hemlock
Cupressus macrocarpa Monterey Cypress
Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum Eucalyptus
Hedera helix English Ivy
Heteromeles arbutifolia* Toyon
Juniperus communis Common Juniper
Lupinus arborus* Tree Lupine
Malus sp.* Apple
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern
Pyrus sp.* Pear
Rhamnus californica* Coffeeberry
Ribes menziesii Canyon Gooseberry
Rumex crispus Curly Dock
Ulmus minor* Smooth-leaved Elm
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen Huckleberry------------------------------
Preferred Hand Drill Materials of the Coloma, CA Area
(CA Buckeye, Quaking Aspen, Mtn. Red Elderberry, Mtn. Ash and Incense Cedar hearthboards
used with each spindle species)Great
Clematis lasiantha Chaparral Virgin’s Bower
Cornus stolonifera Red-osier Dogwood
Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen
Populus trichocarpa Black Cottonwood
Sambucus microbotrys Mountain Red ElderberryGood
Alnus rhombifolia White Alder
Artemisia tridentata Great Basin Sagebrush
Baccharis pilularis var. consanguineum Coyote Brush
Chrysothamnus nauseosus Rabbit Brush
Pinus sabiniana Grey PineDifficult
Arctostaphylos patula Green-Leaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos viscida White-Leaf Manzanita
Ceanothus integerrimus Deer Brush
Cercis occidentalis Redbud
Corylus cornuta var. californica Western Hazelnut
Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa Pine
Quercus douglasii Blue Oak
Rhamnus californica Coffeeberry
Rhamnus purshiana Cascara
Salix scouleriana Scouler’s Willow
Solidago occidentalis Western Goldenrod
Sorbus californica Mountain AshExtremely Difficult (no embers attained)
Apocynum androsaemifolium Dogbane
Cornus nuttallii Flowering Dogwood
Ledum glandulosum Labrador Tea
Quercus kelloggii CA Black Oak
Spiraea douglasii Western Spiraea
Urtica dioica Stinging Nettle
Successful Hand Drill Combinations of Coloma, CA Area
On Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima):
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Box Elder (Acer negundo)
Mountain Alder (Alnus incana var. tenuifolia)
Redosier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)
Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus microbotrys)On Western Clematis (Clematis ligusticifolia):
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
CA Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Red Willow (Salix laevigata)On Mountain Hemlock root (Tsuga mertensiana)
Redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii)On Wild Grape (Vitus californica)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
CA Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana)
Box Elder (Acer negundo)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus microbotrys)
Great Basin Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
Spice Bush (Calycanthus occidentalis)
Western Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. californica)------------------------------
Successful Hand Drill Combinations of the Olympic Peninsula, WA
On Western Hemlock Root (Tsuga heterophylla)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)On Western Red Cedar heartwood (Thuja plicata)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)On Western Red Cedar sapwood (Thuja plicata)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Horseweed (Conyza canadensis)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)On Sub-Alpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa)
Spiraea (Spiraea latifolia)
Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)On Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)
Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata)
Clematis (Clematis lingustifolia)On Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Clematis (Clematis lingustifolia)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)On Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor)
Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)On Douglas Fir bark (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)On Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)On Artist’s Conk fungus (Ganoderma applanatum)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)On Red-Belted Conk fungus (Fomitopsis pinicola)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)------------------------------
Successful Hand Drill Combinations of Southern CA
- On CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Maple-Curry Escallonia (Escallonia sp.)—ornamental shrub
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on Cottonwood Root (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa)
- Utah Serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis) on itself
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on Joshua Tree outer “bark” (Yucca brevifolia)
- Scale Broom (Lepidospartum squamatum) on itself
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on Nolina sp.------------------------------
Woods That Have Provided Non-Notched Spindle Embers (Hand Drill)
On Softer Hearthboards
Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple
Aesculus californica CA Buckeye
Chlorogalum pomeridianum Soaproot
Cirsium vulgare Bull Thistle
Conyza canadensis Horseweed
Eriophyllum staechadifolium Seaside Woolly Sunflower
Grindelia stricta Marsh Gum Plant
Helianthus sp. Garden Sunflower
Rubus discolor Himalayan Blackberry
Sambucus mexicana Blue Elderberry
Scrophularia californica CA Figwort
Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood
Silybum marianum Milk Thistle
Solidago spathulata Coast Goldenrod
Sonchus oleraceus Sow Thistle
Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry
Typha latifolia Cattail
Verbascum thapsus Common MulleinOn Harder Hearthboards
Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple
Acer negundo Box Elder
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Aesculus californica CA Buckeye
Artemisia douglasiana Mugwort
Baccharis salicifolia Mule Fat
Chlorogalum pomeridianum Soaproot
Conyza canadensis Horseweed
Cytisus scoparius Scotch Broom
Erigeron sp. Fleabane Daisy
Helianthus sp. Garden Sunflower
Holodiscus discolor Ocean Spray
Lithocarpus densiflorus Tan Oak
Lonicera hispidula Hairy Honeysuckle
Madia elegans Tarweed
Rubus discolor Himalayan Blackberry
Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry
Sambucus mexicana Blue Elderberry
Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood
Solidago spathulata Coast Goldenrod
Typha latifolia Cattail
Urtica californica Stinging Nettle
Verbascum thapsus Common MulleinWoods That Did Not Offer Non-Notched Embers
Acacia sp. Acacia
Alnus rhombifolia White Alder
Arbutus menziesii Madrone
Artemisia californica CA Sagebrush
Baccharis douglasii Marsh Baccharis
Baccharis pilularis Coyote Brush
Calocedrus decurrens Incense Cedar
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus CA Lilac
Conium maculatum Poison Hemlock
Cornus sericera American Dogwood
Corylus cornuta Hazelnut
Cupressus macrocarpa Monterey Cypress
Cydonia oblonga Quince
Dipsacus fullonum Fuller's Teasel
Escallonia macrantha Escallonia
Eucalyptus globulus Blue Gum Eucalyptus
Euonymus occidentalis W. Burning Bush
Hedera helix English Ivy
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon
Juniperus communis Common Juniper
Larix sp. Tamarack
Lupinus arborus Tree Lupine
Malus sp. Apple
Mimulus aurantiacus Sticky Monkeyflower
Myrica californica Pac. Wax Myrtle
Phyllostachys sp. Bamboo
Prunus cerasifera Cherry Plum
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir
Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern
Pyrus sp. Pear
Rhamnus californica Coffeeberry
Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron
Rhododendron occidentale Western Azalea
Ribes menziesii Canyon Gooseberry
Rosa gymnocarpa Wood Rose
Rumex crispus Curly Dock
Salix lutea Yellow Willow
Salix sp. Willow
Tamarix parviflora Smallflower Tamarisk
Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar
Ulmus minor Smooth-leaved Elm
Umbellularia californica CA Bay Laurel
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen Huckleberry
Vitus californica Wild Grape------------------------------
Preferred Bow Drill Materials of the Loma Mar, CA Area
Great
Sambucus mexicana Blue Elderberry
Aesculus californica CA Buckeye
Sequoia sempervirens Coast Redwood
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas Fir
Clematis ligusticifolia Clematis
Acer macrophyllum Big-leaf Maple
Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans Hairy Honeysuckle
Thuja plicata W. Red Cedar
Conyza canadensis Horseweed
Pinus radiata Monterey Pine
Vitus californica Wild GrapeGood
Rosa gymnocarpa Wood Rose
Acacia sp. Acacia
Pyrus sp. Pear
Acer negundo Box Elder
Eucalyptus globulus Eucalyptus
Prunus sp. Wild Cherry
Malus sp. Apple
Ribes menziesii Canyon Gooseberry
Hedera helix English Ivy
Prunus cerasifera Cherry Plum
Salix sp. Willow sp.
Cupressus abramsiana Santa Cruz Cypress
Rubus parviflorus Thimbleberry
Umbellularia californica CA Bay Laurel
Cytisus scoparius Scotch Broom
Artemisia californica CA Sagebrush
Cornus sericea American Dogwood
Rhododendron macrophyllum Pacific Rhododendron
Lupinus arboreus Tree Lupine
Euonymus occidentalis Western Burning Bush
Alnus rhombifolia White AlderDifficult
Baccharis pilularis Coyote Brush
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus CA Wild Lilac
Rhamnus californica Coffeeberry
Corylus cornuta var. californica CA Hazelnut
Lithocarpus densiflorus Tan Oak
Vaccinium ovatum Evergreen HuckleberryExtremely Difficult
Myrica californica Pac. Wax Myrtle
Holodiscus discolor Ocean Spray
Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon
Quercus wislizeni Interior Live Oak
Rubus discolor Himalayan Blackberry
Arbutus menziesii Madrone------------------------------
Successful Bow Drill Spindle Woods Used On Fungal Hearthboards
around Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, WA- On Tinder Fungus (Fomes fomentarius)
Clematis (Clematis lingusifolia)
Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
Burning Bush (Euonymus purpureous)- On Artist’s Conk Fungus (Ganoderma applanatum)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Basswood (Tilia americana)
Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)
Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea)- On Red-Belted Conk Fungus (Fomitopsis pinicola)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)
Burning Bush (Euonymus purpureous)
CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)- On Birch Polypore Fungus (Piptoporus betulina)
Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)-----------------------------
Miscellaneous Successful Hand Drill Combinations
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) on itself
- Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizenii) on CA Buckeye (Aesculus california)
- Bamboo (Phyllostachys sp.)--with the node at the spindle’s working end--on CA Fan Palm
(Washingtonia filifera)
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on
- Douglas Fir bark (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
- on Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera)
- on Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)------------------------------
Successful Fire Plow Combinations
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea) on Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
- CA Buckeye (Aesculus california) on itself
- On Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri):
- Seep Willow (Baccharis viminea)
- Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri)------------------------------
Successful Fire Saw Combinations
- Whipple’s Yucca (Yucca whipplei) on itself
- Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri) on Whipple’s Yucca (Yucca whipplei)
- CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) on itself
- CA Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) on CA Buckeye
- Bamboo (Phyllostachys sp.) on itself
- Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) on itself------------------------------
Successful Fire Thong Combinations
- Rattan on Rattan
- Bamboo on Bamboo
Visit Storm's website at www.stoneageskills.com.
Storm (1969 - 2008)
Storm immersed himself into the wellspring of adventure and the experience of the Stone Age. Thank you, Storm, for sharing your heartfelt enthusiasm of the wilderness and skills of the past through your engaging articles. You will be sorely missed.
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